Networking – what it is… and isn’t
How many times has someone told you that you have to network to find a job? I’ve heard it countless times. Usually the advice comes with statements like “get involved with a young professionals group” or “attend events”. It’s difficult to get the meat of what the advice is intended to achieve in getting you a job.
We have been there – we have done the young professionals group, attended the events, asked influential people to lunch or coffee and so forth. Guess how many job offers I got out of college that way? Zero. So we thought we’d take some time to talk about this important aspect of getting hired or considered so you can get that sisterly advice we are known for.
What networking isn’t…
- Networking is not a guarantee that just because you know someone that they will hire you.
- There is something to be said about a community of people around you that support you and guide you; this is a part of your network but this is not enough to meet the intent of getting a job. Maybe in good years when jobs are just everywhere… but in down years (pandemics, recessions, etc.)
- …Easy. Some people are more outgoing and that trait makes talking to people easier. Just talking to people may count as networking but it may not necessarily get you a job.
- It is about making friends to add to your social network. This may be what happens at the young professionals group but that’s not the networking we are talking about.
- Meeting a bunch of attractive people that you may want to date/have sex with/marry.
You get the point.
Networking is about building trust and recognition. A community of people to support you can be a part of your network but again – that’s not how you should be “networking”.
Let’s focus on some key things with networking in order to get your first professional job out of school. Here is a quick look at some upfront points and then we’ll talk through it some more:
• Knowing someone in or at least adjacent to the industry you’re looking for a job in;
• What does knowing someone mean… a neighbor three streets down, a church member, a friend’s dad/mom, a professor, a high school teach or connection… the list of possibilities is endless
• Barely know an acquaintance at the place? No worries!
• Know someone who works there by name only? Good. Introduce yourself more fully.
Now this list may have you all wondering why is networking important – don’t my skills, experience, education and recommendations stand out enough? Well, that sounds really nice but it relies on the wrong assumptions.
If it were as easy as magically reviewing and ranking applications then computer programs would do it for us completely. Jobs at companies might get 100+ resumes. Inside all those resumes are great candidates- some you might even hire. There are also: spam resumes, people who apply to every job, people who are over-qualified but they’ve been searching for anything, people who are hoping magically they will be able to be considered without the required qualifications, people who may be a good fit but whose documents aren’t tailored to the posting, and then there are 5-15 people who legitimately could be good fits…. Then in those 15 is the right attitude, background and on the mark during the interview. Hiring is like finding a needle in a haystack sometimes – it’s hard.
Hiring a good fit for the team should mean hiring someone who will be with the company for a long time. Having a reasonable chance of being that right fit is best accomplished if someone can speak for you. If I am hiring and I have to go through 100 resumes, applications, cover letters and more then I will start first with candidates who have referrals, have reached out or have connected with me (or someone on the hiring team). If I am still able to see straight after I get through the top 30 … then you have to be the most amazing standout perfect resume that is not only interesting but is also the right amount qualified. It’s super hard; and in reality, just because someone may interview well and have great documents does not mean they are the real best person for the job. Some people can interview well but maybe they aren’t as hard working or quick on their feet.
I have interviewed so many people who on paper were number one on my list for a job based on paper… THEN I interview them and figure out they just don’t fit the culture or what our team dynamic needs. Networking helps me know how to prioritize time in reviewing candidates. It’s never a guarantee – but it’s critical. The process of networking is more than just having a connection – its about having someone I know or trust willing to speak about key characteristics of someone I am hoping to trust.
Networking tells me something important – are you humble, hungry and smart?
§ Humble: treat people well, willing to do work that is frustrating or even perhaps beneath you. This is mostly about being a good person and treated people well.
§ Hungry: I want to know you work hard. Tell me about the two jobs you worked to pay for school, or that you were a multi-sport athlete or something. Being hungry (persistent or hard working) is one of the greatest indicators of success.
§ Smart: you can converse intelligently, you carry yourself well, and you have the ability to learn – education may be necessary for a job. What I want to know is that I can train you to do a job or that you can pick up on the job what you need to know
Let’s summarize this sisterly advice down…
○ People think networking is going to social hour, dinners and fundraisers and shaking hands and kissing babies. Those can be tactics to networking – some are good and others less good; networking is what you are accomplishing not what you are “doing”. Networking by talking and meeting is one thing but to network to get a job is all about what you’re saying and asking; not just meeting people.
○ Networking is about connecting with people and being intentional. Being memorable. You have to figure out how to make people feel comfortable around you, remember your name …. Don’t be weird. This usually also means you need to be very clear.
○ To be unclear is to be unkind. So, don’t try to make me think you really want to volunteer with my nonprofit if what you want is to get a job in my department. If we are talking at a function I suggest you take time to ask questions about me – don’t be weird about it but it’s an effective way to keep the conversation going. I am very much supportive of people getting jobs at where I work – I put a lot of time into helping find good people. If you can prove you are good at interacting with me then I can help you find a job. Not because you made me feel important but because I know you can carry yourself in a group in our company and that’s important. More than likely I am going to be asking a lot of questions about you. While I am going to evaluate the answers to question I am also going to be picking up on the rest of the queues in your response.
So, help me hire the right person and find a way that as the hiring manager I personally or someone I trust can speak for you being a good fit. I don’t know that I care who it is – my admin assistant, the manager in another department, my next-door neighbor, a distant cousin…. Even an acquaintance. If someone in my world is willing to take the time to connect me with someone they think is a good fit and helps me narrow down my stack of 20, 30, 100 resumes to good candidates then yes, it’s great.
